


Empty Chairs at Empty Tables

by Arvi



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Castiel Lives (Supernatural), Chuck wins, Dean Winchester Dies, Episode: s15e19 Inherit the Earth, Hurt No Comfort, M/M, Sam Winchester Dies
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-17
Updated: 2020-11-17
Packaged: 2021-03-10 03:53:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,271
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27607238
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Arvi/pseuds/Arvi
Summary: So, what if Chuck had taken Dean up on his offer? The whole Earth and Cas restored in exchange for a Winchester murder-suicide. How would Cas feel about that?
Relationships: Castiel/Dean Winchester
Kudos: 28





	Empty Chairs at Empty Tables

**Empty Chairs at Empty Tables**

Cas came back to life in the Bunker, the same spot where the Empty had taken him. Dean wasn't there anymore. There were no voices to be heard.

No laughter, no one waiting for him.

He wasn't in the Empty, but the Bunker was empty.

It felt like a dream. Walking through those halls, with no one there.

No one was in the kitchen, the library or the war room. There were no empty bottles strewn about, no books lying around. It was tidy, there were only a few traces left of Sam and Dean.

Cas wandered over to the large table in the war room. Someone had added his name to the initials, added him to the family. But what did that matter, if his family wasn't around?

He pulled out his phone, dialed Dean's number. No answer. No answer from any of Dean's phones. None from Sam either. Charlie answered, but didn't know what had happened beyond everyone returning from being snapped. Everyone was back, but no one had heard of Sam or Dean. Not Jack either.

Cas continued wandering through the Bunker. Calling out for Dean. No answer.

There had to be a hint somewhere.

He had walked to Dean's room, unconsciously. The door was left slightly ajar, and Cas pushed it open.

The bed was made. There were things lying on top of the sheets though. The jacket Dean had been wearing when Cas had died, the mark left by Cas' bloodied hand prominently visible. The gun Dean had been using for so long with its ivory grip.

A letter.

A letter, addressed to Cas. His name neatly written on the outside, in capitalized letters.

Cas sat down on the bed, careful not to disturb anything too much. Why would Dean have left him a letter in the empty Bunker? Why wasn't Dean here?

_Dear Cas,_

_I'm sorry._

_I know that isn't the best way to start a letter. I wish I didn't have to write this letter at all._

_But you're gone, and by the time you're back, hopefully, I'll be gone._

_It's Chuck. He's poofed everyone, the whole entire world. There was no way to bargain, nothing left to do. We offered to give him his ending. To play along with his fucked up game if he returned everyone to life. The people, the birds, you. So I'm hoping you're around to read this, that Chuck stuck to his promise._

_It's not the win we wanted, it's the last thing we wanted. But the whole world, you, that might just be worth our lives, Sam's and mine. I hope you can move on, find your happiness. You don't need me for that, there's happiness in just life too._

_Don't get me wrong, Cas, there's nothing I would like more than to be at your side right now._

_I hadn't actually told you that, ever, had I? Well, a letter will have to do, I'm afraid._

_You confessed to me knowing you'd die before I could answer. I'll have to confess knowing I'll be dead and gone before you ever read my confession._

_Cas. I love you too._

_Anything you wanted, you could have had. You've had me for years. I'm not great at saying it, nor at showing it, but I love you. I have been in love with you for years. Not quite since you pulled me out of hell, though I did feel that bond, that connection, but it grew after, each time you chose me, chose us. With each moment spent together._

_I wanted this too._

_But well, life is not a fairy tale, not if you have God personally messing with your life. We failed to beat him. I'm sorry that you're left behind, but maybe, just maybe if you're not in the Empty I can still see you again. You can come to Heaven, to Hell, wherever I might have ended up. You're an angel, still._

_Though I can't say I feel comfortable asking you to do that. I just want you to have more options. To not have given your life in the end, for Sam's and my sacrifice to be enough._

_Maybe it's selfish of me._

_To want you to be alive, regardless of your choice. Come shout at me if you want._

_I'm so very sorry that I'm leaving you. Trust me, I know it sucks, for the one you love to tell you they love you too only for them to die._

_You said I changed you, taught you to care. Well, you changed me too. You gave me hope, gave me faith. I wouldn't be the man I am now if it hadn't been for you, Sammy and I would have wound up killing each other years ago._

_You were what was real. You were what saved us, and when you were gone Chuck won. It's not your fault though, don't you dare blame yourself. Just Cas, live life like you want. Enjoy free will. Find a girl, a boy, or don't. Find an apple pie life and a picket fence, or keep hunting. Enjoy those choices you have. Live for me._

_Yours forever,_

_Dean_

There was liquid dripping down on Dean's letter. It wasn't the first. It was his tears mingling with Dean's.

Dean was gone.

Dean had loved him too.

It didn't matter, because Dean was gone. All he had was that letter, the wish for Cas to live for Dean, to make his own choices.

He could cut out his grace, become human. Live human, die human, see if he winds up with Dean like Mary and John or Claire's parents.

He could ask to be let into Heaven, promise to behave and help maintain the infrastructure in exchange for rights to visit Dean. If Dean was in Hell, well, Rowena might be willing to help. Dean didn't belong in Hell, but if he was there Rowena would surely take care of him. Would likely let Cas visit, as Dean had written.

What had their lives even been like? They'd been in every single possible afterlife already, the Winchester brothers. They had enemies in Heaven and allies in Hell. Friends in Purgatory and even the Empty had met them already.

How was this supposed to be the final ending, if no other death had ever seemed to stick?

Chuck.

That was why this was the final ending.

Chuck wouldn't let the Winchesters be resurrected again, that was the difference.

He'd gotten tired of his favorite playthings, his little toys, and they'd played out their final ending.

Cas was left, impossible to control.

The last one standing, in this Bunker that had once been home.

Empty chairs at empty tables, no Sam studying the lore, no Jack playing board games in the small hours of the night, no Dean.

Dean had been the one to make this place home. He'd been the one to nest, to decorate his room, build his Dean cave, to make burgers and force Cas to watch movies with him.

Dean must have been the one to add Cas' name to the table.

Another sign that this had been their home.

Cas could stay here. Help the hunters, teach the lore. Be what the Men of Letters should have been, make sure Earth was taken care of.

Tell people about the Winchesters and the sacrifices they had made.

Live for Dean. Save lives that Dean would have saved. Take care of Claire, of Charlie, of all those people the Winchesters had loved – make sure their sacrifice wasn't in vain.

Dean would wait for him.

**Author's Note:**

> Sorry XD
> 
> Let's wait and see what happens Thursday, but I for one am rather glad it wasn't this. Hope you enjoyed! Also a thank you to saminzat for the beta!


End file.
